🌐 Overview
HTTP status codes are standardized responses sent by servers to clients upon request completion. They categorize the outcome of a request into five classes, each identified by the first digit of the code. Below is a breakdown of these classifications:
Classification
| Code Range | Meaning | 📌 Example Use Case |
|---|---|---|
| 1xx | Informational | 100 Continue |
| 2xx | Success | 200 OK |
| 3xx | Redirection | 301 Moved Permanently |
| 4xx | Client Error | 404 Not Found |
| 5xx | Server Error | 500 Internal Server Error |
Common Status Codes
- 200 OK ✅ - Request succeeded
- 302 Found 🔄 - Resource temporarily moved
- 400 Bad Request ❌ - Invalid client request
- 401 Unauthorized 🔐 - Authentication required
- 403 Forbidden ⚠️ - Server denied access
- 404 Not Found 🧾 - Resource does not exist
- 500 Internal Server Error 🛠️ - Server-side malfunction
- 502 Bad Gateway 🌐 - Broken link between servers
For deeper insights into HTTP protocol fundamentals, check our developer guide.
Best Practices
Always validate status codes in your API responses. Use 301 for permanent redirects and 500 for server errors. For client-side handling, ensure your code gracefully manages 4xx ranges.